


A Letter from Frank

by Arabwel



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 19:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2321384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arabwel/pseuds/Arabwel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim recieves a letter form Frank. Angst and comfort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Letter from Frank

**Author's Note:**

> Reposting from LJ. Fill for the st_xi_kinkmeme part 6 in 2009. 0.o

The message stayed unread until the night before the Enterprise was due to depart.

Jim did not know why he had not deleted it outright. He should have. But some sick sense of - something had kept it there, waiting, for the past three weeks until now.

He toyed with the play button, staring at the screen without seeing anything.he should delete it, consider that his closure. Delete. It would be so easy.

Jim Kirk never did anything the easy way. He pressed play.

The screen flickered to life and Frank came into view. He looked haggard and worn - much more so than last Jim had seen him. Lines on his face, his eyes sunken - but, he was clean-shaven, his clothes were clean, his eyes were not rimmed red and cloudy with booze. He looked -

"Hello, James," the words broke Jim's careful observations. "Or, should I say Captain Kirk?"

there was a long pause. "Just like your father."

_"You little shit, you'll never be your father."_

"I.." Frank started, cleared his throat, then continued. "I'm going to be straight here. When you were growing up, you were... no, it's not about you. It's about me. I was an asshole to you and your mother both, and I'm sorry."

Jim froze. _"If you didn't fuck up so much, kid, I wouldn't need to do this"_

"I was a drunken abusive asshole, and I know it now. I know no amount of apologies is going to change that, it's not going to make right that I fucked up raising George Kirk's son. Took me a long while to understand, a long while in the AA. I stopped drinking two years ago. I- " Frank paused, coughed again. "I just wanted to tell you, you're your father's son. Through and through. I wish I could have been a father to you too - I loved your mother, still do, and she was right to kick my ass on the curb after you left. I'm sorry." Another cough.

"I'm proud of you, James."

the message cut off and JIm closed his eyes. Suddenly, there were tears burning beind his eyelids, seneless, stupid tears.

"Jim?" the soft drawl startled him.

"B-Bones?"

"Who else, the tooth fairy?" the gruff reply came closer, and suddenly there as a pair of arms wrapped around Jim's body. "I'm here, Jim."

Jim gritted his teeth, pressing his head into Bones' shoulder. Warm. Comfortable. Safe. Loved. "He... I.. He..." for once in his life, James Tiberius Kirk was at loss for words.

"He's dead, Jim." Bones words came softly, startling the young captain. Jim's eyes flew open, stinging a little.

"What?"

"I saw the message." How long had Bones been in here? When had he come in? He'd seen it all?

"Netter's syndrome," the doctor, his CMO, his lover said quietly. "Terminal stage. I recognized the symptoms. He had days to live when he recorded that message. Maybe hours."

For a very long time, the thought of his stepfather dead had brought joy to Jim; he expected - exhilaration, grim satisfaction anything but the inexplicable grief he felt now descending on him.

"Bones," he whispered hoarsely.

"I'm here, Jim," the man said softly, one large hand stroking his hair.

Jim closed his eyes.

"I'm proud of you."


End file.
